A PETITION to boycott a new film that purports to tell the story of the early days of the LGBT rights movement has reached more than 20,000 signatures.

    British actor Jeremy Irvine plays a fictional character who incites the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York that kicked off the U.S. gay rights movement.

    But the petition accuses the film, “Stonewall,” of “whitewashing” history.

    “It is time that black and brown transwomyn (sic) and drag queens are recognized for their efforts,” it says.

    It continues, “From the preview alone, we know that will not be happening. Majority of characters casted are white actors, cis men play the role of transwomyn, and folks who began the riots do not seem to be credited with such revolutionary acts.”

    The riots, in June 1969, followed a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay hangout for Latino and black transgender protestors such as Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, both of whom became prominent activists.

    They co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, a group dedicated to helping homeless young drag queens and trans women of color.

    Much of the anger is directed towards the film’s portrayal of Irvine’s white cisgender gay character as a leading light in the movement.

    The film’s director Roland Emmerich said, “When this film finally comes to theaters, audiences will see that it deeply honors the real-life activists who were there [...] and all the brave people who sparked the civil rights movement.”

    (SD-Agencies)